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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25165216">let my weight hang in your hands</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/aducklingmuggingyou/pseuds/aducklingmuggingyou'>aducklingmuggingyou</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hamilton - Miranda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alexander Hamilton Being an Asshole, Angelica is so confused, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bisexual Eliza Schuyler, Crying, Eliza is angry and hurt, Eliza's full name is used a lot, Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler Deserves Better, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/F, F/M, Human Disaster Alexander Hamilton, I have no idea where this is going, I think thats their ship name but idk, Implied/Referenced Cheating, James Reynolds Being an Asshole, James sucks and I hate him honestly, Lesbian Maria Reynolds, Lots of Crying, Maria and Eliza deserve better, Maria didn't eat enough, Maria is going through some stuff, Marliza, Past Abuse, Protect Maria Reynolds, Trauma, and lots of it let me tell you, but i hope you like it, everyone is tbh, its so good now go listen to it, so is Eliza, talking things through, there's a lot u guys and I'm sorry, they all just needs hugs, title from Bandits on the Run song Love in the Underground</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:14:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,115</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25165216</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/aducklingmuggingyou/pseuds/aducklingmuggingyou</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It sickened her, but Eliza knew that this woman was not going to give up. And after all, she was not going to leave this tattered woman on her doorstep, was she? Well, there was a large part of her that wanted too, but she just couldn’t seem to say no.</p><p>Damn you, Alexander.</p><p>-OR-</p><p>When Maria Reynolds shows up on your doorstep, what is a girl to do? Certainly not let her in!</p><p>Well, Eliza Schuyler Hamilton has never been one to follow the rules, now has she? And if it kicks her in the ass later. . . . she'll just have to deal with it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alexander Hamilton/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton/Maria Reynolds, Angelica Schuyler &amp; Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, John Barker Church/Angelica Schuyler (Mentioned), Maria Reynolds &amp; Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, Maria Reynolds/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Someone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I've just been super busy, as crazy as that sounds! But I hope this fic makes up for it! and how about the hamilfilm?????? I sobbed just about as hard as Eliza does in the second chapter. How about you? :) It was an amazing movie though!!</p><p>Anyways, the title of this story comes from a Bandits on the Run song "Love in the Underground"! It's an amazing song, and I really recommend you listen to it! All of their songs are amazing though lol!</p><p>Hope you all like this fanfic!! Love you all, and stay safe!!&lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hello?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh. Um, hi.”</p><p> </p><p>Eliza Schuyler Hamilton stood in the doorway of her house, one hand on her hip and the other holding the door open next to her. If someone with a cruder mind saw her, they might have thought that she had been waiting for someone. Someone who was certainly not the girl that stood before her now. And, if anyone had the sense to look more closely, they would know that Eliza would not have been waiting for someone. In fact, if one had been as close as this girl was to Eliza now, they would see her red-rimmed eyes, the tear marks tracking their way down her face and the red burns on the tips of her fingers. No. She was certainly not waiting for anyone.</p><p> </p><p>So why was this girl on her doorstep? This little girl whose tattered dress was a garish red color and whose would-be silky brown hair was mussed up and tangled. Whose equally brown eyes were also red rimmed and turned downwards in shame.</p><p> </p><p>No one would ever dare say that Eliza Schuyler is stupid, because that fact was simply not true. Even the thought of it sounded so foreign on the tip of the tongue that the words had never made it out into the open air. Sure, people spoke of Eliza as sweet and innocent, but certainly not stupid. And that was why, when she saw the faint shadow of bruises on the woman’s wrists and neck that all of the pieces slid into place.</p><p> </p><p>Coming to the realization of who this girl was, Eliza’s back straightened and her expression turned stony. “Is there something you wanted, Miss Reynolds? I am afraid that my. . . that Alexander is not home at the moment.” <em> And won’t be for quite some time. </em></p><p> </p><p>The girl, Maria Reynolds, took a step backwards at the chilling tone of the taller woman’s words. “I-I just. . . um. . . I. . .”</p><p> </p><p>Eliza sighed, took a step forwards and closed the door behind her. As much as she loathed the idea of talking with this girl, she wasn’t about to leave her standing there on her doorstep, tears not yet dried and bruises not yet faded. Looking her over once more, Eliza even saw a few rips and scorch marks littering the blood colored fabric of the dress. It had the air to be expensive, but the material seemed to make Maria fidget and itch in her own skin. <em> Maybe she is allergic to it, </em> Eliza mused. “Well?” Her words were still laced with poison.</p><p> </p><p>“Mrs. Hamilton,” Maria began again, at least trying to meet her eye.</p><p> </p><p>Eliza was slightly startled at the color of the iris’. At first glance, they appeared to be a milk chocolate color, but, upon further inspection, Eliza found that one was tinted ever so slightly green, and the other infused with lighter browns and golds. They glittered with unshed tears, Maria’s thick lashes appearing even longer when clumped with fresh ones. “Please,” Eliza’s mouth moved before her mind had time to catch up. Her tone was still icy, but the pleading behind it to not be called by her husband’s name was so very present. “None of that today, Miss Reynolds. Call me Elizabeth.”</p><p> </p><p>Shocked, Maria nodded hesitantly. She had absolutely no idea where this was coming from, and it was even more confusing that Elizabeth’s tone still held a slight chill. “Um, alright. . . Elizabeth. I’ve never been very good at inquiring for things I need, or acting upon those needs, but I came here today to clear a few things up. Of course, if that is alright with you?” She added hastily.</p><p> </p><p>Mind finally racing to stop her blabbering mouth, Eliza raised a single dark eyebrow at the words. “I told you that Alexander is not home. Who could you possibly want to talk to?”</p><p> </p><p>“You.”</p><p> </p><p>“Me? And why is that, Miss Reynolds?”</p><p> </p><p>Maria gazed at the woman before her for a moment, drinking in the sight of the taller woman’s body. Her shoulders were straight and pulled back, her entire body rigid and tense. Elizabeth’s black hair was tied up into a simple bun on top of her head, much like she had seen on her older sister, Angelica Church. It suited her, but did very little to hide the sticky tracks her tears made down her cheeks, and the redness around her dark eyes. Or the scowl that had corrupted the delicate features she was so famous for. But Maria, who was so very used to seeing the walls people (like herself) put up to guard them from the harsh world, saw right though it. She immediately noticed how Elizabeth’s eyes were still brimming with unshed tears and how her bottom lip trembled ever so slightly. How the arms wrapped around her body that would have seemed menacing, were actually just to keep the hurt away. So, as frightened as Maria was, she took a deep breath and said, “I have done terrible things, Elizabeth. I have hurt you in the most brutal way imaginable, and it is my belief that you should know all of the facts before you turn your husband away because of me. Please, just listen. I beg you.”</p><p> </p><p>Eliza watched as Maria’s body language shifted ever so slightly, taking on an air of just a bit more confidence than she had possessed before. That struck a chord with Eliza. So, knowing full well that she would regret this decision, the woman nodded and opened the front door back up for Maria. Just as her husband had done just a mere month ago. It sickened her, but Eliza knew that this woman was not going to give up. And after all, Eliza was not going to leave this tattered woman on her doorstep, was she? Well, there was a large part of her that wanted too, but she just couldn’t seem to say no.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Damn you, Alexander. </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. In Distress and Disarray</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Are you alright?” Eliza inquired, dark eyes full of worry. Her mind seemed to have forgotten just who this woman before her was.</p>
<p>-OR-</p>
<p>Maria sees something that causes a little bit of a tizzy in the house.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you guys like this chapter! There's lots of angst today everyone lol</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maria knew her way around the house - for obvious reasons - but let Elizabeth lead her to wherever she saw fit to have a conversation. She knew that that taller woman had children, but couldn’t hear the telltale sounds of laughter or banging around. Either they were very well behaved or they were asleep. . . at three in the afternoon. Not wanting to intrude too greatly on Elizabeth’s personal details, Maria pushed the thought from her mind, instead being replaced by those of her own daughter, Susan. Poor little Susie who was stuck in the hands of her terrible father until Maria could find someone to help. She supposed that it was part of the reason she was here, but Maria doubted that Elizabeth would help her at all. It had been enough to get her to even speak with her, and Maria naturally assumed, with the way that Elizabeth was looking at her, that help was way off the table. Maria's heart broke at the thought of not being able to save her daughter from that terrible man. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>She was pulled out of her distressing thoughts, however when, to her slight surprise, Maria found herself being led to the living room of the house. She had passed through this room many times on her way to Alexander’s study or bedroom, but had never really chosen to take in all of it’s details. There were tall windows lining one wall, with a fireplace and a few bookshelves on three others. In front of and in between each window was a little nook where one could choose to sit and read, which Maria found very endearing. There was a couch facing the windows, and a few comfortable chairs scattered around as well. It was still August, but Maria guessed that in the winter, everything was rearranged to face the fireplace. It really was quite a wonderful room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On the small table that was resting just in front of the couch, lay many scattered papers. Maria knew what the sheets were before she even reached halfway to the couch, and her blood suddenly ran cold. The slight empty feeling in her stomach suddenly became cavernous, making her feel lightheaded. Maria stumbled a bit, catching herself with the wall next to her. <em>“Oh,”</em> Maria let out a breathy gasp, her knees almost giving out under her. There was pain somewhere in her body, but Maria couldn’t seem to place it, let alone do anything about it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hearing the strange sound, Eliza whipped back around. To her confusion, she found Maria leaning against the wall, the corner of it looking to dig into the bruise on her wrist painfully. It seemed as if she wouldn’t be able to stand for much longer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Instincts kicking in, Eliza immediately rushed to the other woman’s side, taking Maria’s body weight into her hands. On top of Maria being a good few inches shorter than her, she was surprisingly light. She practically even fell into Eliza’s arms. So, with the woman she despised more than anything in the world gathered in her arms, Eliza Schuyler made her way to the couch. She gently laid the woman there, her head on a pillow and her eyes barely open. “Are you alright?” Eliza inquired, dark eyes full of worry. Her mind seemed to have forgotten just who this woman before her was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Didn’t. . . hungry. . . the papers. . .” Maria managed out, her stomach as hollow as a rotting log. It was in that moment that everything she had endured seemed to weigh on her fully. Her bruises and scars burned, her ribs and knees ached, and her chest seemed to deflate, all of the air being pushed out of her in a single sigh. Her vision swam with tears, the woman before her only a haze of blue silk and black hair. Images of little Susan sobbing as she was torn away from her mother's embrace flashed in her mind's eye, causing Maria to let a few tears slip down her cheeks. “Sorry,” she whispered before passing out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Eliza’s eyes widened in shock and worry, seeing Maria lose consciousness right before her eyes. Her hands hovered over the woman’s figure, shaking with fright and anger. What had happened to make this woman almost fall and then lose consciousness on her couch? “Wha-“ Eliza’s voice wavered and cracked, tears starting to drip down her face once more. It reminded her all too well of how her first cat, Pippa, had died. She had gotten hurt while trying to jump over a fence, the wound soon becoming infected. Eliza had been with her when Pippa fell asleep, her breathing stopping a few minutes later. She had cried for weeks after that, and Eliza would be damned if she let this woman die on her. Even if she hated her with all of her being. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Miss Reynolds? Miss Reynolds?!” Eliza took the woman’s hand in hers, squeezing tightly. She was careful not to touch the bruises encircling Maria's wrists, however. “Wake up, please wake up!” Her tears were starting to flow faster, Eliza's vision blurring. Sobs filled the quietness of the living room as Eliza's head dropped down to rest on Maria’s abdomen. Her body was shaking and beyond exhausted, every one of her ailments of life hitting her full force. Eliza's anger at Alexander was the only thing that was keeping her going, while also weighing on her like bags of sand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She was dimly aware of the front door opening and a familiar voice calling her name, but Eliza didn’t answer. The volume of her cries were enough to draw anyone to where she was sitting.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Breathing was becoming harder and harder, tears dripping down her face like a river. Her whole body shuddered with the force of her sobs, hiccups becoming more and more frequent. Eliza had thought that she was done with tears, but the sight of this woman falling unconscious on her couch was just too much to bear. She closed her eyes and wept into Maria’s body, her hands squeezing the other woman’s clothes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eliza!” The voice shouted, but Eliza couldn’t bring herself to move to see who it was. “Eliza, darling, what in Heaven’s name are you doing?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Suddenly another body took hold of hers, the warm, familiar touch causing Eliza to break down even further.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, Eliza. . .” Angelica soothed, holding her younger sister as best she could, what with the younger girl clutching a body on her couch. Her sister’s sobs broke her heart into even more tiny pieces, and Angelica wasn’t sure if she could stand this for much longer. She was still furious at Alexander, but was forced to shove those feelings down for the sake of Eliza. So, as she rubbed Eliza’s back and stroked her hair, Angelica started to hum a lullaby their mother used to to sing to them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It took some time, but soon Eliza’s cries shuddered down to a slow stop, her body still slumped over the strange woman’s and soft hiccups escaping her lips every now and then.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Angelica decided to find out who the strange, red-clad woman was later, and instead got a pillow and blanket for her sister. After gently moving Eliza’s sleeping body so that she was lying on the floor comfortably and covering her with the soft blanket, Angelica Schuyler Church took a deep breath and went to go make some sandwiches for herself and the other two sleeping women. It would be a long conversation when they both woke up, and Angelica wanted to be prepared to possibly hurl something at someone. Just in case.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you liked this chapter! Next one should be up soon!! Stay safe, lovelies!!&lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. When is Soon?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“When is soon?” She asked, just like she had years ago when their father had been called to the front-lines to help in the war.</p><p>“A while, my darling sister. A long while.”</p><p>-OR-</p><p>When Eliza wakes again from her nap, she doesn't quite remember all of the facts right away.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone!! This is a long chapter, and the last one that I have pre-written. Looks like I'll just have to watch Hamilton again for inspiration, haha!</p><p>Anyways, on to a more serious note. . . there are mentions of abuse and claustrophobia and other things like that, so please be wary if you are not comfortable with those types of things. I guess be wary throughout the whole story if you don't like it, because this got darker than I intended it to be. </p><p>I hope you enjoy this long chapter!! Stay safe!!&lt;33</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Eliza woke up a few hours later, the first thing she did was gasp loudly. She hadn’t been able to breathe properly for the few minutes before she fell asleep, or after for that matter, and her lungs were screaming for proper air. Her eyelids fluttered as her chest rose and fell rapidly. Where was she? How has she gotten there? What-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alexander!” Eliza screamed, panic filling her body. “ALEXANDER!!” The woman struggled to rid herself of the blanket covering her body, arms and legs flailing. Eliza rubbed her throat raw with her screams, her dress getting her even more tangled up and stuck. The claustrophobia that certain parts of her childhood had caused flared up, tears beginning to roll down her face. “Help!” Eliza pleaded at the top of her lungs. “Alexander, help me!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At the sound of these cries, Angelica, who was in the process of stripping down her sister’s bed, abandoned everything that she was doing and ran downstairs as fast as she could. When she saw Eliza panicking, she didn’t hesitate to run over and drop to her knees, eyes full of worry. “Eliza,” Angelica began softly, not daring to touch her quite yet, for fear of scaring her even more. “Eliza, Alexander isn’t here right now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eliza’s eyes found her sisters, but were unseeing in her fear. She grabbed the other woman’s shoulders tightly, nails digging into the thin fabric of Angelica’s peach dress. “Alexander!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, darling.” Angelica held back the tears in her eyes, needing to stay strong for her little sister. “He is not home.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alexander!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eliza, listen to me.” The older woman’s voice was low and firm, her hands lightly placed on top of Eliza’s on her shoulders. “Alexander is not here right now. Do you hear me? He isn’t home.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But. . . Alexander said he would be home soon,” Eliza whispered, face filled with genuine heartbreak. It dawned on Angelica that Eliza had, in her sleep induced stupor, forgotten what her husband had done and where he had gone. “When is soon?” She asked, just like she had years ago when their father had been called to the front-lines to help in the war.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A while, my darling sister. A long while.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was then that Angelica chose to tug her sister close, enveloping her in a tight hug. Eliza buried her head in Angelica’s neck and cried again, her tears soaking her sister’s skin and dress collar. “I know, ‘Liza. It’s alright. Everything will be alright, just let it out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eliza’s wet sobs caused her to shudder against her sister’s side.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Angelica slowly stroked Eliza’s hair, which had been shaken out of it’s bun in her panic, and rocked her from side to side. After a while, Angelica worked up the courage to speak again. “Eliza?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman in question made a noise of confirmation against Angelica’s neck, her arms still holding tightly to her sister.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eliza, can you look at me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eliza took a long beat before nodding and slowly pushing herself away from Angelica’s warm body. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, tear stains and snot covering her pale face. All in all, she looked a complete mess.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seeing this, Angelica quickly took a handkerchief out of a hidden pocket in her dress and handed it to her sister. “Good girl,” she muttered, a small smile on her face as she watched Eliza blow her nose. “Eliza?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-yes?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you remember?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eliza’s face contorted into a look of utter confusion. “Remember what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Angelica gave her younger sister a hard look, but deep down she was frightened for Eliza. What if the grief and anger had driven her mad? What would she do then?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Angelica, what are you talk-oh. . . oh no.” Eliza’s expression turned from puzzled to sad to angry in a matter of seconds. At Angelica’s raised eyebrow, Eliza growled out a simple, “I remember.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Angelica’s response was interrupted by a soft whimper coming from the woman lying next to them. Both sister’s snapped their heads to look up at the red-clad figure.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maria, who had been laying perfectly still since the moment she fell asleep, was now squirming all around, her body twisting in what looked like very painful ways. Her face was contorted with pain and confusion, little whimpers of fear escaping her parted lips. Her already messy hair was tangled up around her face, obscuring half of it from view.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eliza rolled her eyes and turned back to her older sister, trying to hide away from the shame that this woman brought her. Yes, she had let Maria into her house, saved her from falling, let her sleep on her couch and cried over her unconscious body, but that didn’t mean that Eliza cared about the woman. None of this would have even happened if that girl had just kept her hands to herself. Eliza frowned deeply, roughly pulling Angelica’s body closer and hiding her face in her sister’s dark ringlets.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Angelica let out a noise of surprise, her mind suddenly flashing back to how her husband handled her sometimes. Though it was only Eliza touching her, the older woman quickly became uncomfortable. Her ribs ached in a phantom bout pain, causing Angelica to flinch away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Not knowing what her sister had gone through, Eliza pouted at the loss of contact.</span>
  <em>
    <span> “What?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> She demanded, pointedly ignoring the whining woman behind her. Every noise the woman made was a bullet in her heart, and not just because the cries sounded so genuine. Eliza’s fingers twitched, longing to reach out and help Maria, but her rage-controlled brain stopped her from doing so.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean, </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘what’?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Angelica snapped back with equal ferocity, her temper flaring. Seeing the hurt in Eliza’s eyes, however, caused her to take a deep breath and apologize. “I am sorry, Eliza. What I mean to ask is, who is this woman? I have never seen her before.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eliza’s answer was chorused by an almost obscene whine from the sleeping woman behind her. It made Eliza flinch, but something deep in her body fluttered. Thankfully though, her mind wasn’t ready to process that yet. Instead, her body acted before her mind and she turned around again, staring at the figure. “Maria Reynolds.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Angelica’s eyes widened in shock. Why was Maria Reynolds, the woman who had seduced Alexander and ruined Eliza’s marriage, sleeping on Eliza’s couch? And moreover, why had Eliza been sobbing over her unconscious body just a few hours ago? It was certainly clear that Eliza detested the woman, so why was she here? The more Angelica’s eyes wandered over the woman’s body, however, the more of her questions were answered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first thing Angelica noticed was Maria’s clothing. The dress had the illusion to be expensive, but even from where she was sitting a few feet away, Angelica could see that the red fabric was like rope rubbing at Maria’s skin. Her skin was red and angry around the hem, and her non-existent cloak did little to hide it. Her neck and shoulders were littered with fading bruises, some looking to be caused by Alexander (she knew that he was much too rough sometimes), and others from something else that Angelica couldn’t place. When her eyes wandered further down, she could see thin white lines coloring the skin of Maria’s wrists, which were also shaded a fading purple-blue color. With a start, Angelica realized that the lines were scars. She unconsciously rubbed her wrists, where, under her long sleeves, there were similar marks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In one short word, Maria looked like an absolute mess. The dark circles under her eyes were evidence of her lack of sleep, and, if the way her bones were so clearly shown, Maria hadn’t had enough to eat either. Angelica would have felt bad if the woman hadn’t completely ripped her sister’s marriage and reputation to shreds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Eliza. . .” Angelica started hesitantly, watching Maria squirm. Her dream didn’t seem to be particularly salacious, but the whimpers Maria was emitting were definitely. . . interesting. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Angelica,” Eliza replied, her voice soft and lost. Her hands twitched again, longing to stop the suffering of the woman who had caused her so much pain. In truth, Eliza had no idea what was going on with her. She guessed that it was her damned motherly instincts that made her want to help, but her pride and rage were getting in the way of her actually doing anything about it. Eliza couldn’t tell if she was mad about it or not. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was another pause before Angelica asked, “Sister, why is she here? Surely Alexander didn’t leave her in your room when he. . .” A bit of fear creeped into her voice at the thought. He wouldn’t do that to a girl, would he?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, he didn’t. She came here to speak with me. Said that she wanted to give me all of the facts before I did something I would regret.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Angelica could hear the conflicted emotions in her younger sister’s words. She didn’t blame her, it was an odd situation to be in. “Are you angry at her?” She ventured, watching Eliza stare at the other woman.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Furious.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then why did you let her in? Why is she sleeping on the couch that she and Alexander probably-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ANGELICA!” Eliza snapped, turning back around and standing up. The blanket that Angelica had covered her with fell away, revealing the pale blue of Eliza’s dressing gown. It was the same one that she had gotten as a wedding present from their mother, Catherine. The younger woman’s face was burning with rage and grief, her eyes wet with tears and cheeks burning. “Stop! How dare you insinuate such a thing? I am sure that they would at least have the sensitivity to. . . somewhere else!” She couldn’t bring herself to say the full sentence, her voice cracking violently and words getting stuck in her throat. There was a long moment before Eliza shook her head and said, “I am going upstairs. I need to be alone right now. P-please keep an eye on her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seeing that her sister was about to break down again, Angelica nodded, her eyes lowered. “Of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” was all Eliza managed before she took off running up to her room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Angelica heard a door slam, and knew that it would be a while before Eliza came down again. Shaking her head softly, Angelica sighed and stood as well. None of this was fair, and she wished more than anything that she could do something to help. But she couldn’t do anything other than place a blanket over Maria’s twisting body to help calm her down. Angelica didn’t want to touch the woman, still disgusted about what she had done, but didn’t like hearing those strange whimpers either.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Funnily enough, as soon as the blanket touched her skin, Maria’s cries ceased and she fell into an even deeper sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Angelica stared at her for a moment before sighing again and going to get a book to read. Who knew what would happen when both women finally spoke to each other? Angelica certainly didn’t want to find out.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you all liked this angsty chapter!! Imma try and have the next one up soon!! Stay safe, lovelies!!&lt;333</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you all liked it!! Next chapter should be up soon!! Stay safe, lovelies!!&lt;3</p><p>PS sorry this chapter was so short! the next few should be longer! :))</p></blockquote></div></div>
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